Instant Pot Chicken Wings (Crispy, Juicy + BBQ or Buffalo)

4.75 from 43 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Wings (Crispy, Juicy + BBQ or Buffalo)

These Instant Pot chicken wings are juicy, tender, and finished under the broiler for a perfectly crispy bite. Toss them in classic Buffalo sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce for an easy appetizer or weeknight dinner that’s always a hit.

Prep Time5

Cook Time35

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Poultry

Cuisine: American, Instant Pot

Keyword: Buffalo wings, Chicken wings, Instant pot

Servings: servings of about 5 wings each

Calories: 457kcal

Author: Sally Humeniuk

Equipment

Instant Pot
Baking sheet
Cooling rack
Mixing Bowl
Chef's knife

Ingredients

4 lbs. chicken wings trimmed of excess fat and separated
2-3 Tbsp seasoned salt like Cajun, powder, or any favorite seasoning mix
½ cup cold water

For Buffalo Wings:

¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup favorite barbecue sauce If you want more heat, eliminate bbq sauce and increase hot sauce to ¾ cup
½ cup hot sauce like Frank's Wing Sauce

For BBQ Wings:

1 cup barbecue sauce store bought or homemade

Instructions

Prep the wings. Pat chicken wings dry and place in a large bowl. Toss with seasoned salt until evenly coated.
4 lbs. chicken wings
Set up the Instant Pot. Place a trivet inside the Instant Pot and add ½ cup water.
2-3 Tbsp seasoned salt
Cook the wings. Arrange wings on the trivet.Seal lid and cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes.
Release pressure. Let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully vent remaining pressure.
½ cup cold water
Prepare for broiling. Preheat oven to Broil (High).Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray rack lightly.
Sauce the wings. Transfer wings to a bowl and toss with half of the sauce.
Broil until crispy. Arrange wings on the rack and broil 5–10 minutes per side, until crispy and browned.
Finish and serve. Return wings to bowl, toss with remaining sauce, and serve immediately.

Buffalo Style Wings:

For Buffalo style flavor: Use ½ cup hot sauce, ¼ cup melted butter (½ stick), and ¼ cup BBQ sauce. The BBQ sauce in this mixture is optional but it adds a nice tang that isn't too hot. Omit the BBQ sauce and increase hot sauce to ¾ cup if you want fully classic Buffalo wing flavor and more heat.
¼ cup melted butter, ¼ cup favorite barbecue sauce, ½ cup hot sauce

BBQ Style Wings:

For BBQ style flavor: Use either 1 cup BBQ sauce, or for a little more kick, mix ¾ cup BBQ sauce with ¼ cup hot sauce.
1 cup barbecue sauce

Notes

Use ½ cup water for best texture. More liquid can make the bottom wings soggy.
Don’t skip broiling. This is what gives the wings that crispy finish.
Pat wings dry before seasoning for better flavor and texture.
Double the sauce if needed, but only use part of it before broiling to avoid soggy wings.
For extra smoky flavor, add a few drops of liquid smoke to the water.

Nutrition